Froid
by MarieStarbuck
Summary: Just a very short drabble about Kate being cold.
1. Chapter 1

A.N (dated 16/10/11) So I think I'm coming down with a cold and my room is freezing and my brain is refusing to concentrate on Paradise Lost so y'all get a random oneshot. Good deal, isn't it? :P

A.N (dated 06/11/11) I really need to post these things quicker. I'm not really sure if this is going anywhere so I'm marking it as complete. If anyone wants it to be continued I can try, any ideas would be appreciated. Thank you for taking the time to read.

Marie x

Kate Beckett could not get warm. It wasn't the kind of cold that a cup of hot chocolate could banish; the various soup bowls and mugs scattered around her coffee table stood testament to that. She felt the cold deep down in her bones, more a remembered feeling than a result of the dropping autumn temperatures.

She wasn't even sure what had spurred this sudden feeling. Well, that may have been a lie. She knew exactly what had caused her teeth to start chattering but she would not admit it, even to herself. The nightmares were something that got placed in the box of things she didn't want to deal with; the box deep within her mind which contained the acknowledgment of her feeling for Castle along with the more gruesome realities of her mother's death.

Even the warmth of 2 duvets, an assortment of blankets and a large NYPD hoodie could not chase the chill from her small frame and so she unfurled her hand from the self-made cocoon and reached for her phone, one last thing she could try.

Sure enough within 3 rings a cheery voice answered down the phone,

"Detective Beckett, to what do I owe this pleasure? A bit late for a body isn't it?"

"Er, Castle. Hi. No, no body. I was actually . . .You know what? Never mind." Kate stumbled over an explanation, her finger mere centimetres from the end call button.

"Kate, are you alright? What's wrong?" Damn that man for knowing her so well. Damn him to high hell. After a deep fortifying breath Kate replied

"Nothing's wrong. Um, actually I was wondering if you were busy?"

"Too busy for my favourite Detective? Not a chance." And there was that fabled Castle charm. She could practically see his cocky grin. "What did you want?"

Another deep breath "Can you come over?"

"Of course. Right now?" His answer was immediate and once more laced with concern.

"Yeah, I mean if you're not in the middle of something. It's not urgent." She hoped her voice didn't betray anything although that seemed like a miracle given Castle's ability to pick up on the slightest change in pitch or tone.

"I'll be there in 20. And Kate? Never hesitate in calling me if you need something."

"Thanks Castle, I'll see you soon." The smile that split her face as she ended the call had nothing to do with her feelings for him.


	2. Chapter 2

A/N - The consensus is that people want more (And I'm slightly scared of what Jeanne will do to me if I don't continue. Yes I know you're reading this *waves*) so I'm back. It took me forever to try and work out what I wanted to happen once Castle arrived and I'm still not there; props to my Intro to Imaginative Writing module for giving me the tools to try to work it through. This chapter is mostly filler and it kind of trails off and for that I'm sorry. I shall work over the weekend when I've got more time free from Uni work. So without further ado, on with the chapter. Marie x

**Chapter 2**

She swore 20 minutes had never passed slower. The brief tidying rampage she had gone on lasted all of five minutes and merely resulted in the dirty dishes being moved off of the coffee table and ending up piled in the kitchen sink. That left a whole 15 minutes alone with her thoughts and the voice in her head pleading with her to just 'jump Castle the minute he got through the door and get it over with'. Kate wondered if she should be more concerned that her inner voice sounded a lot like Lanie.

Finally a dull knock sounded on her door. Not the normal, socially accepted knock once or twice; this was Richard Castle after all. About six months into their partnership he had created what he called his 'Patented Beckett Knock', his argument being that this way she always knew if it was him on the other side of the door. So after the 3 short knocks followed by a three second pause and then 2 slower knocks Kate opened her door to reveal a concerned looking Rick.

It took her a moment to fully comprehend the vast bouquet cradled against Castle's chest; from what she could tell it was a mixture of white violets, white heather (which had always been a favourite of her Mother's) and the most beautiful purple and white tulips she had ever seen. Castle's eyes were clouded with worry but the grin he gave her as he handed over the bouquet with a slight bow was pure, unadulterated charm.

"For the lovely lady," Castle said.

"Thank you, Rick. They're beautiful. You know where to find the vase?" The 'Rick' had slipped unbidden off of her tongue and she clutched the blanket across her shoulders tighter about her still shivering frame whilst she watched Castle moved with ease through her kitchen.

"That's a nice dirty dish mountain you have going there, Beckett," Rick said as he carried the now overflowing vase attentively towards the coffee table. "Really, I haven't seen a mug balanced quite so precariously in years."

Kate's eye roll was softened only slightly by the gentle smile on her face.

"Whatever makes you happy, Castle."

"Do you know what would make me happy right now? Well . .." Kate's finger was at his lips before he could even draw breath for the next word.

"Oh I know, Rick. I know." The breathlessness in her voice was mostly an act to rile him up and not at all due to the fact Castle was holding the hand she had previously pressed to his lips. At least that's what she told herself; Kate Beckett did not get breathless at a man holding her hand.

A/N the second,

The bouquet may seem random but the flower meanings were almost too good to be true (according to Google):

Variegated Tulip- beautiful eyes

White Violet- Let's take a chance

White Heather- Wishes will come true


	3. Chapter 3

A/N So I think this is the last chapter, I didn't set out for it to be but it mostly wrote itself. A huge thank you to everyone who both read or reviewed and major love and hugs to Leighace who was supportive even when I refuse to write quickly and I bugged her (I'm sorry I ended it, I'll write you something else I promise). I haven't beta'd this one as thoroughly as I probably should have so feel free to yell at me for any mistakes. Thank you for reading. Marie x

**Chapter 3**

To say she wasn't sure how she ended up snuggled into Richard Castle's chest would be an understatement. Although Kate didn't find her position necessarily a bad thing. As long as Rick didn't wake that was. His blue flannel shirt was soft and comforting under her right hand, which rested directly over his heart. The steady beats were calming. Her face was buried in the crook of his neck; the faint scent of his laundry detergent mixing together with his cologne filled her nose.

The apartment around her was hushed and, with a jolt she realised, warm. The cold the earlier nightmares had left her with had disappeared entirely. The faint light from the TV gave her barely enough illumination with which to see the clock, its intricate hands displaying 3:23.

Her detective instincts took longer to kick in than was customary however the empty bottle of Chateau Lafite in the centre of her coffee table could easily explain that.

Slowly the signs began the filter through her grey matter and memories fell quickly into place. Once Castle had settled the flowers to his satisfaction on her coffee table, a process that apparently took at least ten whole minutes, he had pulled out a well worn copy of Breakfast at Tiffany's. Apparently it had been one of Alexis' favourites when she was younger and hence whenever someone was ill or upset it was the first film Castle reached for.

"I'm not ill or upset Castle. I just...needed someone," Kate stated quietly, the latter being expelled on a sigh.

"Feel free to need me anytime Det..." His voice trailed off as he saw how his words caused Kate to close herself off; to most people the change would be unrecognisable but Castle could see her reinforcing her walls, the faint glint of wariness appearing in her eyes. Now was not a time for Rick Castle's playboy persona to come out to play.

He knew better than to push her, three years had taught him that much, and so he merely waved the DVD and announced "There's nothing an Audrey Hepburn film cannot solve."

"Mais bien sur."

There was a twenty second pause before Rick remembered to breathe again in which Kate happily settled herself back on the sofa and arranged the blankets around her again to chase away the remaining chill. Her walls began to come down automatically at the sight of the man child in front of her.

Right on cue Rick drew in a large gasping breath and started to make his way over to her whilst muttering,

"So sexy. Not fair."

After that Kate could only remember bits and pieces, most of the evening lost in a haze of laughter and friendship; scenes from the film, opening the bottle of wine Rick pulled from somewhere, leaning closer to Castle's heat as if drawn by a magnet. Wait, what? That particular memory will need to be locked away in the back of her mind, it hit a little too close to home for her liking.

Yet here she was, curled up against Richard Castle's chest and loving every second of it. The Lanie-like voice in her head was screaming for her to wake him up and perhaps do something she'd love even more but Kate Beckett was warm and content. Someday, hopefully soon, the wall would come down completely but until then she planned to go back to sleep and enjoy the moment. So with a smile on her face she tucked her head back into the crook of his neck and promptly fell back into a deep slumber.


End file.
